Okay-- so I'm a little further into The Shack now. Not finished; school has definitely gotten in the way. I'm quite glad that I pressed on, and now that Mack is in the shack (hehe) and interacting with the "folks" there. I'd like to have finished it by now, but I'm getting to the point where I'm really enjoying it. Consequently-- I MIGHT be to the point where I slow up with it.
Weird, eh? I've told you about freezer books before-- like The Shining-- the ones you put away because you don't want to know what happens next. In fact, I think I lumped The Shack into that group of freezers a few weeks back.
But I also have that group of books that I take FOREVER to finish, because-- quite frankly-- I don't want them to end.
They're the flying dreams that you can hear the alarm clock go off with each passing page. Perhaps if I don't read that next page yet, I can hit the snooze and the feeling of flying can last a little bit longer.
This is where I am with The Shack now. It's amazing how it did a complete turnaround for me. I honestly can't wait to experience where it will take me next. Not sure if the "worst is over" now, but I'd like to think so.
Other things I've read lately-- the book affectionately called the Tan Book. It's the "bible" (If you will) of the Literacy Teaching World. I've yet to read it cover-to-cover-- but doing literacy training this summer has me using it more and more. I've also delved into the world of teaching mathematics, and found ATM by Marilyn Burns absolutely wonderful. Any doubts I may have had about teaching math this year-- well, they're just about gone (for now, anyways!).
Both are a great resource for any third grade teacher.
So-- tomorrow school starts again. I can't wait to see what the kids have been reading this summer. My younger son FINALLY got going with the Rick Riordan series. YEAH!! The older one just finished The Great Gatsby and Black Like Me. I've read Gatsby a few times, and love it for the 1920's feel to it. However, Black Like Me, seems rather intriguing and it's now on my "List."
If you're just starting school-- have fun! If you've already begun-- yeah! If you have nothing to do with school-- enjoy your day and remember what the first day is like-- you pick the grade.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
Anything But Typical
I just finished Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin--- wow! What a great story! And I have to say-- as much as I didn't like the quasi-second-person-perspective from Larger Than Life Lara, I LOVE it in Anything But Typical.
Jason is autistic-- and ABT is his story, through his thoughts, shared with us, the readers. The thoughts shared through the story are not "typical" of Jason's personal communication style; he seems quite "short" on words (you'll get the pun after reading it!) himself-- but as most people who have worked with kiddos with autism suspect, being short on words is not synonymous with being short on thoughts. Since autism is a communication disorder, it's easy to believe Jason's character as a complex thinker, and it's interesting to see the conflict he has with himself and the world around him as he attempts to communicate-- sometimes effectively, most of the time, not so clearly.
The "quasi-second-person" works well in this book, simply because Jason isn't talking so much to the reader "you," as much as he seems to be working through the events and thoughts about his life. He's a verbal processor, without the friend or way to communicate it all (except through writing-- which is a big part of the story). Interesting.
So-- for all who have worked with kiddos or adults with autism, or are the least bit interested in the subject-- I highly recommend this book. If Temple Grandin were to ever write a novel for children, I imagine it would have the same flair of voice that Baskin has.
She's done her homework, and it shows.
Jason is autistic-- and ABT is his story, through his thoughts, shared with us, the readers. The thoughts shared through the story are not "typical" of Jason's personal communication style; he seems quite "short" on words (you'll get the pun after reading it!) himself-- but as most people who have worked with kiddos with autism suspect, being short on words is not synonymous with being short on thoughts. Since autism is a communication disorder, it's easy to believe Jason's character as a complex thinker, and it's interesting to see the conflict he has with himself and the world around him as he attempts to communicate-- sometimes effectively, most of the time, not so clearly.
The "quasi-second-person" works well in this book, simply because Jason isn't talking so much to the reader "you," as much as he seems to be working through the events and thoughts about his life. He's a verbal processor, without the friend or way to communicate it all (except through writing-- which is a big part of the story). Interesting.
So-- for all who have worked with kiddos or adults with autism, or are the least bit interested in the subject-- I highly recommend this book. If Temple Grandin were to ever write a novel for children, I imagine it would have the same flair of voice that Baskin has.
She's done her homework, and it shows.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
The Shack-- warning-- spoiler and other stuff
Now, during my last few moments before school starts, I am reading The Shack by William P. Young. It's been highly recommended by many-- in fact, the copy I'm reading is a borrowed one from one of the many. However, I have come upon a problem in reading this story.
I can't go on.
The MC's daughter has been abducted, and he's found solid evidence that things are not going well for her (Yes-- my version of a spoiler--generalizations. I won't be too specific so that you can experience it was well if/when you read it). There's something inside of me that doesn't want to know any more. I don't want to experience this tragedy through the MC's eyes...don't know if I can handle any more "solid evidence" that things have gone wrong. That feeling of having a child taken away-- stolen-- and hurt without any control. It's a bit much for me at the moment.
Now, I realize that Young has done an extraordinary job of creating a connection with his main character and his readers (at least one reader!), and this in and of itself is an incredible task. Literary speaking-- what a great piece of work. I also realize that in order for me to really "get" the rest of the book, I've had to understand what the MC is going through.
And I also understand that in order for me to "get" the rest of the book, I have to read the rest of the book.
It's not too often that I come across a book that's so good that I DON'T want to read it. I think the last one was The Shining by Stephen King. That one was just scary. I was like Joey, and put it in the freezer once or twice, I think.
The Shack is scary-- but in a very different way. It's scary in a parent way.
All that being said, I know I need to finish the book, because otherwise, I'll just finish the story myself, and what I make up will be quite different, I'm sure.
Now, for the "other stuff."
I tried reading Larger-Than-Life Lara by Dansi Daley Mackall. I understand that some people have found it to be a great read-- for example, these two teachers. But for me, it was not as smooth as I'd like to see a kids book to be. Please keep in mind that smooth is not synonymous with easy. What I mean by smooth is that the reader doesn't come across too much roughness in understanding the author.
Mackall's MC is hard for me to "get." The writing is a bit disjointed, and she has written LTLL in a quasi-second person point of view.
At this point-- as much as I don't enjoy saying this, I feel that I must right now:
Mrs. Biggs, my high school english teacher was right (*shudder*). Writing in the second person is hard, and does not make for a strong book. (Unless, of course, you are as smooth as William Goldman).
Well, Dandi Daley Mackall is not as smooth as William Goldman in her attempts to pull off the second-person-ish-let-me-tell-you-what-my-teacher-said bit. In fact, I don't think it's really a second person point of view-- it just feels like it's going right up to the edge of it without the necessary "you" it needs to make it a true second person.
If I'm not making sense to you, it's probably because the story didn't make sense to me.
Now, despite the fact that Mackall has written so many books, I have not read her work before. Larger-Than-Life Lara is one of over 400 books that Mackall has written in the past 20 years.
400 books.
Wow.
That's like 20 books a year-- that's almost two a month! Some of the books on her list have been nominated for some awards. So, before I go off on the "well, quantity doesn't necessarily mean quality" bit, perhaps I should read more of her work.
After I finish reading The Shack, of course.
Others on my list for the last stretch before school ends (which will probably bleed over into the school year):
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway (research for my 1920's based historical fiction: my current work in progress, Sinkholes)
Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin (about a 12 year old boy with autism)
The Big Field by Mike Lupica (possibly the best kids' sports book writer!)
Red Ridin' in the Hood and Other Cuentos by Patricia Santos Marcantonio (I LOVE traditional literature spinoff tales. These loos great-- can wait to read them all)
In addition to all the "school stuff" that needs doing before I start back in LESS than two weeks-- looks like I've got my work cut out for me.
Hope you can enjoy some of these, too.
I can't go on.
The MC's daughter has been abducted, and he's found solid evidence that things are not going well for her (Yes-- my version of a spoiler--generalizations. I won't be too specific so that you can experience it was well if/when you read it). There's something inside of me that doesn't want to know any more. I don't want to experience this tragedy through the MC's eyes...don't know if I can handle any more "solid evidence" that things have gone wrong. That feeling of having a child taken away-- stolen-- and hurt without any control. It's a bit much for me at the moment.
Now, I realize that Young has done an extraordinary job of creating a connection with his main character and his readers (at least one reader!), and this in and of itself is an incredible task. Literary speaking-- what a great piece of work. I also realize that in order for me to really "get" the rest of the book, I've had to understand what the MC is going through.
And I also understand that in order for me to "get" the rest of the book, I have to read the rest of the book.
It's not too often that I come across a book that's so good that I DON'T want to read it. I think the last one was The Shining by Stephen King. That one was just scary. I was like Joey, and put it in the freezer once or twice, I think.
The Shack is scary-- but in a very different way. It's scary in a parent way.
All that being said, I know I need to finish the book, because otherwise, I'll just finish the story myself, and what I make up will be quite different, I'm sure.
Now, for the "other stuff."
I tried reading Larger-Than-Life Lara by Dansi Daley Mackall. I understand that some people have found it to be a great read-- for example, these two teachers. But for me, it was not as smooth as I'd like to see a kids book to be. Please keep in mind that smooth is not synonymous with easy. What I mean by smooth is that the reader doesn't come across too much roughness in understanding the author.
Mackall's MC is hard for me to "get." The writing is a bit disjointed, and she has written LTLL in a quasi-second person point of view.
At this point-- as much as I don't enjoy saying this, I feel that I must right now:
Mrs. Biggs, my high school english teacher was right (*shudder*). Writing in the second person is hard, and does not make for a strong book. (Unless, of course, you are as smooth as William Goldman).
Well, Dandi Daley Mackall is not as smooth as William Goldman in her attempts to pull off the second-person-ish-let-me-tell-you-what-my-teacher-said bit. In fact, I don't think it's really a second person point of view-- it just feels like it's going right up to the edge of it without the necessary "you" it needs to make it a true second person.
If I'm not making sense to you, it's probably because the story didn't make sense to me.
Now, despite the fact that Mackall has written so many books, I have not read her work before. Larger-Than-Life Lara is one of over 400 books that Mackall has written in the past 20 years.
400 books.
Wow.
That's like 20 books a year-- that's almost two a month! Some of the books on her list have been nominated for some awards. So, before I go off on the "well, quantity doesn't necessarily mean quality" bit, perhaps I should read more of her work.
After I finish reading The Shack, of course.
Others on my list for the last stretch before school ends (which will probably bleed over into the school year):
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway (research for my 1920's based historical fiction: my current work in progress, Sinkholes)
Anything but Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin (about a 12 year old boy with autism)
The Big Field by Mike Lupica (possibly the best kids' sports book writer!)
Red Ridin' in the Hood and Other Cuentos by Patricia Santos Marcantonio (I LOVE traditional literature spinoff tales. These loos great-- can wait to read them all)
In addition to all the "school stuff" that needs doing before I start back in LESS than two weeks-- looks like I've got my work cut out for me.
Hope you can enjoy some of these, too.
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